The national ANC Youth League leadership wants to disband the KwaZulu-Natal executive because it is backing President Jacob Zuma for a second term, the provincial youth wing’s executive said on Saturday.
“The sin we committed is being loyal to the resolution of the congress that elected us to support Zuma’s second term as ANC president,” Sboniso Duma told reporters at a special meeting in Durban.
The meeting was convened to discuss the possible disbandment of the youth league’s provincial executive, allegedly by the national leadership.
Duma said the talk of disbanding was real, and was being driven by the “factionalist” league’s national executive committee.
The provincial executive committee lambasted its secretary Bheki Mtolo for trying to divide the youth league so that Zuma’s support would be weakened.
“This will never be allowed under our guard. Dividing the ANC in our name should never be allowed in this province,” said Duma.
The committee said the decision not to bus people to ANC headquarters in Johannesburg, for youth league leader Julius Malema’s disciplinary hearing, was being counted against them.
The provincial executive committee convened a meeting before Malema’s appearance where the decision to send people to Johannesburg was rejected by the majority of its members.
“We remain convinced that the decision we took for not sending any member to march against our Luthuli House was correct and within the principles of the organisation,” said Duma.
Mtolo is said to be among those who believed sending people to Johannesburg was a good idea. Malema supporters clashed with the police and they burnt flags and T-shirts bearing Zuma’s face.
The provincial executive committee has accused Mtolo of neglecting his duties. It is now demanding him to choose between his youth league post and his position of deputy mayor.
‘Double parking’
Mtolo, Malema’s strong ally, is also a mayor of Kokstad Municipality on the KwaZulu-Natal’s south coast. The jobs in the youth league and deputy mayor are both full time positions.
“We are of the view that this double parking of our provincial secretary negatively affects the functioning of the organisation while [it] is also negatively impacting on service delivery.”
Mtolo has been given until Monday to choose between the posts.
“To this end we are going to write to the ANC in the province and nationally requesting assistance on these issues,” said Duma.
Provincial youth league leader Mthandeni Dlungwane said they had been informed by some ANCYL national executive members that the disbandment of the provincial structure was imminent.
Mtolo was not immediately available to comment.
Youth league general secretary Sindiso Magaqa said he was not aware of any disbandment.
‘I don’t know what these people are talking about. There is no such decision,” he said. – Sapa